Has anybody made a complaint to their energy company about their charges and got anywhere?

[Guest]

I've just had a bill for just under £600 for a month. I live in a 2 bed semi detached property. I've sent in actual reads from my meter. I feel so worried, they even sent me a debt letter last month as I cannot keep up payments.

I've never been in debt in my life! Working Nurse over here, and my partner works full time also.

[Darren]

I've put in plenty of complaints about energy companies, won them all. But if those charges are what you're actually using I don't see the grounds for complaint? Have you checked the bills are correct? If they're not I'm sure you'll win, if they are I'm sure you won't.

[Kerry]

If that’s for a month then I would check your metre readings are correct. Look at your last bill and see what your last reading was then see what reading you submitted.

Electric is very easy to work out. 1KWH = roughly 0.34p.

Gas is a little harder to work out but you can use an online calculator for it.

My highest monthly bill durning the winter was £400.

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https://www.gasbillcalculator.com/

[Mary]

Yes, and had the debt cleared via the Ombudsman!

[Jessica]

Yes, with e-on almost two years ago. It was a long slog and the Ombudsman was involved in the end but it was worth it as it got resolved and the bill was wiped. They refused to accept my actual meter readings as they felt I should be using more. I also live in a two bed semi. Good luck in getting yours sorted.

[Linda]

We have smart meter and all electric my bill for January was £266. I take my own readings and compare with what the electricity company charged me. Only a couple of pence out and that was probably as I was rounding it up. I check my meter readings and unit price etc so that way there’s no shock bills. We have quantum heaters and for the £266 that’s heating all day , we are retired so it’s actually working out better for us as we not sitting in cold all day. My neighbour with gas is wearing a jacket in the house as she can’t afford to put heating on all day , she’s 74 . It’s 3 bed terraced house.

[Jane]

How the hell are ppl meant to pay these outrageous costs , complete and utter greed, the utilities and government have all got there sticky greedy paws in the pot, and all the while hard working ppl are struggleing, and the media are just whipping up all the hype and causing yet more greedy price hikes.

[Sharon]

You need to be able to explain why it shouldn't be that high. What's the temperature in your house? How many minutes/hours was it on per day? We did all know this was going to be horrendously expensive. We've been monitoring ours and our combined gas & electric bill has been around £10 a day even with only having the heating on for between 1-2 hours a day total. But we know our boiler is old and have been monitoring the usage daily.

[Lisa]

They put mine up yesterday wanting £300 a month they shouldn't be aloud to do it . We have always been in credit never missed I have fibromialga and my husband just had quadruple heart bypass so only one wage coming in and they said they couldn't do anything other than put us on a priority list if power goes.

[Pam]

We pay £180 a month for both fuels combined.

4 bed house, both retired and home all day.

I cook most days, dishwasher on most days, gas c/heating, washer etc, etc.

We are currently in credit by over £400.

I think you need to have your meters checked.

There’s something wrong somewhere if you’re paying £600.

[Julie]

If you received a debt letter last month and can’t keep up the payments it’s probably right you owe that amount. You could ring and ask if they can help in some way. Or if they can do like a payment plan as you won’t use as much as the weather gets warmer. But can’t really complain if you owe it x

[Mary]

My uncle lives in a bungalow same thing as yourself. All comes to all meter was reading faulty. So owed nothing in end hecwas worries sick with the red letters keep coming. He didn't put he's heating on for months. Frightened to use it after that bill.

[Jillian]

They wanted to change mine dd to gas £501 and elec £335 month asked them are they having a laugh? No way! Dreading the bill next week

[Kerry]

I got a bill from EDF for £4500 and want me to pay £760 a month. Obviously that is not going to happen every time I put my electric reading in it says invalid numbers. I’ve started a complaint process and cancelled my direct debit

[Mell]

No I’ve never complained, we’re all in the same boat. £600 seems too high but it’s down to usage so unless you have the heating on 24/7 and using multiple appliances non stop I’d be questioning it. Gas and electric for us is around £300 per month based on actual usage and that’s a 5 bed house with two occupants. I am careful, wash in bulk, very occasional tumble dryer usage, never use the oven etc but we don’t go cold and heat is on for a few hours a day. Might be worth you studying your usage before complaining.

[Sharon]

My gas bill was always around £65 a month for heating and hot water, now £200 a month even with cutting back on the heating. Both of us are pensioners with ongoing bad health problems, hubby has cancer and I have osteoarthritis in both my hips and in my hands. Cant cut back any more. Always been in credit but cant afford these prices.

[Wayne]

I'm only paying 270 for both a month for 3 bed room so I would check if it's right, you should start to pay less now coming out of winter even if it goes up.